You Can't Even Hold Your Sword Steady, So What Swordsmanship Are You Talking About?

In the conference room at Sunagakure's highest point.

Sunagakure's upper echelon sat gathered around.

A Sunagakure jonin standing at the back reported on the recent situation at the border.

"Over the past month, the Third Hokage first dispatched a large number of Anbu, then mobilized clan ninjas from Konoha's major clans, including the Nara Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Aburame Clan, to eliminate our border ninja forces probing the Land of Fire."

"Whether they were the ninja conducting the probes or the Sensor Ninja who infiltrated the Land of Fire to search for Lord Kazekage's whereabouts... not a single one has returned alive."

"Along the route, in the triangular region between the Land of Rain, the Land of Rivers, and Konoha, we found iron sand produced by Lord Kazekage's Magnet Release. We tracked it, and it ultimately led into the Land of Fire."

"..."

Upon hearing this string of intelligence, the faces of Sunagakure's upper echelon grew increasingly grim.

"So Lord Kazekage really was tricked and abducted by Konoha's people?"

Ebizo raised his gaze and glanced at his sister Chiyo before speaking heavily.

"This... has not yet been confirmed. But traces of Magnet Release iron sand were indeed found within the Land of Fire..."

At those words, anger appeared on several elders' faces.

"Damn Konoha! They actually used such despicable methods to abduct our Kazekage!"

A Kazekage Advisor slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet.

"Lady Chiyo, make the decision! I refuse to let Lord Kazekage die without knowing why! The Kazekage's disappearance concerns all of Sunagakure!"

Hearing him, Chiyo closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"How many people in the village know about the Kazekage's disappearance now?"

The jonin beside her froze, then answered hesitantly.

"Lady Chiyo, most of the village already knows!"

Chiyo's gaze turned cold as she shot him a look.

"Did you spread it?"

The jonin shuddered and immediately dropped to one knee.

"In reply to Lady Chiyo, when I returned to the village after receiving the intelligence about the iron sand, it had already spread throughout the village!"

An elder wearing a headscarf coughed lightly.

"Chiyo! This isn't the time to assign blame. Think about what we should do first! The Kazekage's disappearance has already become an issue for the entire village. And now he has vanished in the Land of Fire. If we do nothing, we won't be able to answer to the people in the future!"

Under the elder's pressure, Chiyo rubbed her aching forehead.

Chiyo had not expected matters to develop so quickly!

If the news had not yet spread through the village, they could have controlled it and perhaps still avoided war. But now...

Most of the village knew, while the elders and higher-ups like them were the ones left in the dark.

Chiyo would never believe that no one was pulling strings behind this.

She suspected many forces were fanning the flames behind the scenes—not just forces within the village. There could even be spies who had infiltrated from outside.

Sunagakure had only enjoyed a few years of recovery and peace. It seemed that some people in the village were already growing restless again.

The struggles among the village's various factions, combined with the fuse of the Kazekage's disappearance, might well push all of Sunagakure into an abyss!

Just who could have taken the Kazekage away without a sound...

Could Konoha's Kage have personally made a move?

The Kazekage's disappearance had put all of Sunagakure on the defensive.

Now, every accusation pointed toward the Land of Fire—or rather, toward Konoha.

If Konoha had truly done this, what did they stand to gain?

Chiyo understood in her heart.

There was probably someone behind this who wanted to provoke a war between the two villages.

With the news that the Kazekage had disappeared in the Land of Fire confirmed and already spread, avoiding war was basically impossible.

In Chiyo's mind, she saw that white-haired Konoha ninja holding a short blade.

Then she remembered how her son and daughter-in-law had both died at that man's hands.

She opened her narrowed eyes, and a chill surfaced within them.

Konoha, it was time to settle our grudge.

"Launch the war. Sunagakure declares war on Konoha!"

As Sunagakure began urgently preparing for war against Konoha, Konoha also caught the scent of war.

Ninja Hawks scattered in every direction to recall all ninja below Chunin rank, while jonin left the village one after another.

The Root Organization led by Danzo had also already departed from the village.

At the Border where Uchiha Yufeng's Team Shinku was stationed, Namikaze Minato and the others who had arrived alongside Yuhi Shinku as reinforcements had just wiped out a Sunagakure Chunin squad. They had only enjoyed a few quiet days.

Then they received a message delivered by a Ninja Hawk and began redeploying.

Team Shinku, where Uchiha Yufeng was assigned, was among those being transferred.

The message said that the Anbu would send over a group of replacements, while all the Chunin from Team 1 were to return to the village.

"Yufeng, we've only been here for a few days. Why are we going back already?"

Uzuki Yugao poked Uchiha Yufeng in the arm with the hilt of her sword and asked quietly.

"Because we're too weak, so they won't let us remain at the Border. Got it?"

Uchiha Yufeng glanced at Uzuki Yugao and continued reading Yuhi Kurenai's palm.

"Stop fooling around. I'm talking about something serious!"

Uchiha Yufeng rolled his eyes at her.

"What I'm telling you is serious."

Seeing that Uzuki Yugao still looked confused, Uchiha Yufeng explained.

"Then let me ask you, what rank are you?"

"Rank?"

"Your strength!"

"Chunin..."

Uzuki Yugao felt somewhat guilty. During the Chunin Exams, Uchiha Yufeng had basically carried her the whole way. After the exams ended, she had often thought about it.

If she put herself in the shoes of the other Genin and encountered a participant like Uchiha Yufeng...

They would probably have coughed up blood from anger on the spot. There was no way they could have graduated.

"You're a Chunin who just passed the Chunin Exams, with no experience fighting enemy ninja. It's easy for something to happen at the Border. The situation is becoming increasingly severe, and something big may be about to happen. Naturally, inexperienced Chunin like us can't stay here any longer."

Uchiha Yufeng spoke lightly.

Yuhi Kurenai, beside him, wore a worried expression.

"Are you worried about your father?"

Yuhi Kurenai nodded.

"Don't worry. Didn't I call in quite a few jonin reinforcements from nearby areas before? They're all elites from our village. With that lineup, ordinary Sunagakure squads won't be able to break through."

Yuhi Kurenai took a deep breath and nodded, a glimmer of light appearing in her eyes.

"I need to become stronger quickly too! I'll strive to master my training as soon as possible and become Konoha's number one Genjutsu user! Then I can help my father shoulder his burdens and protect Konoha in the future!"

Seeing Yuhi Kurenai's resolute expression, Uzuki Yugao was greatly encouraged.

The motion of wiping down the Kusanagi Sword in her hand paused.

She looked toward Uchiha Yufeng.

"Yufeng, can you spar with me once before we go back?"

Uchiha Yufeng looked at Uzuki Yugao's pleading eyes and sighed helplessly.

"Fine!"

"Kurenai, help me pack up first. Once Yugao and I finish sparring, we'll leave and head back to the village!"

Uchiha Yufeng pulled out a wooden stick from beside him.

"Use a sword!"

Hearing Uzuki Yugao's request, Uchiha Yufeng looked up and saw the determination in her eyes.

He tossed aside the wooden stick, and a Ronin Katana appeared in his hand.

"Begin!"

The moment he spoke, Uzuki Yugao stepped forward, swinging the Kusanagi Sword directly at Uchiha Yufeng.

"Konoha Style: Slash!"

As Chakra surged through her, her speed increased dramatically.

"You've improved quite a bit from before. You've abandoned some unnecessary flashy movements!"

Uchiha Yufeng nodded.

The Ronin Katana in his hand was no slower. He raised it swiftly before him.

Blocking the strike.

"You fell for it!"

A crafty glint flashed through Uzuki Yugao's eyes. She pushed the Kusanagi Sword forward and immediately slashed upward.

Uchiha Yufeng twisted his wrist and spun his blade in a flourish.

He directly locked her arm and pulled it back.

The Kusanagi Sword suddenly slipped from Uzuki Yugao's hand without warning.

Looking at Uzuki Yugao's astonished expression.

Uchiha Yufeng casually played with the Kusanagi Sword, his expression unchanged.

"You can't even hold onto your sword, yet you're talking about practicing swordsmanship? Work hard and learn to hold your sword first!"